DISTRICT 10-2A DII
Dawson BULLDOGS
Dawson beats the odds
By Mike Phillips Explore Corsicana
26 Explore Corsicana | Spring 2025
Head Coach : Bryan Kelley 2024 Record : 5-6 Last Playoff Appearance : 2024
DAWSON — When the season was over and the coaches from District 7-2A DI got together to pick the All-District team they made a surprising — and accurate choice — for Coaching Staff Of the Year .
Ironically , it was Axtell Coach Craig Horn , who said : “ I can ’ t imagine anyone doing a better job of coaching than Bryan Kelley and his Dawson coaching staff did .
Horn ’ s team won the district title and advanced to the fourth round of the playoffs , but he and the other coaches in the district recognized the job Kelley and his staff did in 2024 when they led Dawson to second-place finish in the district .
“ Led ” might not be the right word . Kelley and his coaches saved the season with hard work , determination and a no-quit attitude — and a group of players who followed that example , not only buying into the plan , but rising above the adversity to produce a winning season and berth in the playoffs .
No one knew — or had much of an idea what Dawson ’ s Bulldogs would do in 2024 — because the Bulldogs lost a ton of talent to graduation from an exceptional 2023 team .
Back in August someone asked Kelley who he lost and he said : “ Everybody who scored .” Almost : Dawson lost everyone from Hastin Easley , an electric wide receiver / linebacker who was the Golden Circle ’ s Del Thrash Award winner ( the GC ’ s version of the Heisman Trophy winner ), Colby Springer , who led the Golden Circle in rushing , Elijah Allen , speedy star on both sides of the line , and more .
There was talent returning , but the avalanche of losses to graduation and a rash of injuries at the beginning of the season put the Bulldogs in a huge hole few thought they could dig themselves out of in 2024 .
The pain started right away and when the dust cleared Dawson was looking up at a 1-4 start with the single W coming against last-place Hubbard .
No one made excuses , no one pointed fingers and no one put their head down . Everyone just bonded together , kept looking up and kept getting better . No one even thought about quitting . “ They showed up every day ,” Kelley said of his kids . “ And they played to the next play . We made a couple of tweaks to the offense , but the main thing was the kids bought into the culture and played one play at a time . They didn ’ t get caught up in it . They just played one play after the other .”
It didn ’ t help that the UIL moved Dawson up in classification with a tougher road to the playoffs and the early losses could have diminished confidence as much as the 1-4 pre-district record .
“ It was a challenge ,” Kelley said .
“ When you think you ’ re at the bitter end you ’ re thinking how do I keep 50 kids together . They came to practice every day and we created a team environment — they stayed and worked hard .”
The four losses were to Leon , a strong program and a playoff team , Kerens , which marched three rounds deep in the playoffs , Rosebud-Lott , a playoff team , and to Axtell , a state-power with one of the best coaches in Texas in Horn that went four rounds in the playoffs .
But Dawson climbed out of the slow start and began winning with an aggressive and physical defense that shut down just about everything for a month , holding opponents to just 16 points in the first three wins and 30 points over the four-game stretch .
The defense was led by Jackson Onstott , the District ’ s Offensive